West Brom boss Tony Mowbray has called for more consistency to be added to star winger Tom Fellows’ game.
West Brom are still very much fighting for the play-offs as the season draws to a close. Just three points away in 7th, Saturday’s 2-1 win over Watford has WBA back on the right track, ending a turgid run of five without a win.
Conceding late goals has been costly for Albion as of late. Injury time winners for Norwich City and Bristol City in recent weeks have threatened to derail their season.
WBA may well look back at a number of missed opportunities should they miss out on a top six place. The draw specialists of the division, a run from October to December saw them draw 10 of 11 games on the bounce.
A stern backline has been bettered by only four sides, yet it is going forward that some West Brom men have come under fire. One such man is 13-assist star Tom Fellows.
Speaking to the Express and Star, Baggies boss Tony Mowbray has called for consistency from his wingers, most notably Fellows and Michael Johnston. He said:
“I think it’s fair that generally all wingers are inconsistent. If anybody’s got criticism of selection, if they look back at games – as I do every game – and see inconsistency of wide players.
“Sometimes Fellows and Johnston haven’t done it for long spells. They keep running down blind alleys, keep giving the ball away, don’t get past their man.
“Tom keeps driving inside the full-back on his left foot – where are you going? The goal is that way (points), this is where we’re trying to go.
“It was about giving them some confidence and belief. I said to them this week ‘I don’t care if you lose the ball but I do care if you never, ever attack the full-back’.”
With Fellows earning a brace of assists and Johnston netting the winner against Watford, Mowbray’s words seem to have rung true.
League leader
It perhaps seems harsh that Fellows has come into some criticism from his manager. After all, the winger tops the Championship assist charts with 13.
Watching the frontman play can sometimes paint another picture. Fellows is in the 93rd percentile for pass accuracy in the league (as per FotMob), perhaps suggesting that the winger is guilty of playing it safe too frequently.
At only 21, Fellows undoubtedly has much to learn. Similarly, should WBA fail to earn promotion, it is likely that bigger sides may come calling.
Time to change the safety first approach?
Now back in his second stint as Baggies boss, popular boss Tony Mowbray has taken 1.3 points per game back at Albion. WBA have netted more than twice on just one occasion since – in a resounding 5-1 victory over Portsmouth on Mowbray’s homecoming.
A strong rearguard has been the baseline for West Brom’s success this season, yet every side above them has notched up a larger goal tally.
With four remaining games all either against promotion-chasing or relegation-avoiding teams, perhaps it is time for Mowbray’s men to be braver going forward.
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